Work is to start this summer on a £100,000 revamp of Tadcaster Bus Station and the adjoining Britannia Car Park.

The scheme was given final approval when Selby District Council, which owns the car park, agreed to contribute £30,000 to the work from its reserves.

North Yorkshire County Council has agreed to fund the remaining £70,000.

The bus station upgrading includes provision of a modern sheltered waiting area with improved lighting, and a second CCTV camera.

The public toilets will also be given an extensive facelift and the whole site resurfaced with bay markings.

There will be a new permanent taxi rank built into the bus station area at the edge of the car park, which will also be resurfaced.

A new recycling facility will be installed in the car park for both paper and glass, along with enhanced lighting and landscaping.

And to prevent lorries from parking in the car park, there will be a new access.

Selby District Council environmental health officer, John Cragg, said: "We have had problems with HGVs in the Britannia car park, and the new access will restrict parking to cars only."

He said there were no plans for a pay-and-display scheme, and parking would continue to be free.

Mr Cragg said a second security camera was necessary to cover several "blind spots" at the far end of the bus station.

He added: "The scheme will result in significant high-profile improvements to the transport infrastructure in Tadcaster."

Coun Chris Metcalfe told Selby District Council's monthly meeting that the revamp was part and parcel of encouraging people to use public transport.

He said Tadcaster would now become the hub of public transport in the northern end of the district, and it would be money well spent.

The council's chief executive, Martin Connor, said the scheme represented good value for money.

Coun Richard Sweeting told the meeting: "The people of Tadcaster have been neglected for the past 27 years.

"It's high time the district council put some money into the northern end of the district, and forgot about party politics."

Updated: 14:16 Monday, May 21, 2001